Any one know the strength of 1" EMT (Conduit) ? Making homemade guard rails for Scaffolding

Okay, I'm cheap, follow me long enough and you'll find me picking up broken tie downs from the side of the highway for the hooks! Or lugging home broken cedar fence, or dehydrating 3 bushels of apples while they're cheap (Now...lol)
So, I have a fear/respect for heights. I'm getting around to finishing some solar projects and I'm too cheap to buy Scaffolding Guard rail set up, particularly since I can only setup one long side for most of the jobs.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/MetalTech-7-ft-x-5-ft-Scaffold-Tower-Guard-Rail-System-M-MG507K/206733478
This appears to just be lighter than 1" conduit, (16 gauge 1" OD tubes) So I've purchased a single 1" conduit (Conduit is 1" inside) and drilled (I know this weakens it) for mounting in the scaffolding tubes and drilled some 5/16th inch holes for Snap Pins and drilled out holes in some 2x4's as cross members/rails, at @18 inches and 32-36inches, I eye balled it. It's job is just to keep me from stepping off the scaffolding. but I'm guessing it would support 100lbs.
I can post some pictures if anyone would like, it sounds a bit confusing, but I'm using the conduit is posts and 2x4's as rails, sitting on the snap pins which are about 3 inchs long. There are no spec's as to what the guard rail will hold, but I'd guess there is some OSHA guild lines...
So, I have a fear/respect for heights. I'm getting around to finishing some solar projects and I'm too cheap to buy Scaffolding Guard rail set up, particularly since I can only setup one long side for most of the jobs.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/MetalTech-7-ft-x-5-ft-Scaffold-Tower-Guard-Rail-System-M-MG507K/206733478
This appears to just be lighter than 1" conduit, (16 gauge 1" OD tubes) So I've purchased a single 1" conduit (Conduit is 1" inside) and drilled (I know this weakens it) for mounting in the scaffolding tubes and drilled some 5/16th inch holes for Snap Pins and drilled out holes in some 2x4's as cross members/rails, at @18 inches and 32-36inches, I eye balled it. It's job is just to keep me from stepping off the scaffolding. but I'm guessing it would support 100lbs.
I can post some pictures if anyone would like, it sounds a bit confusing, but I'm using the conduit is posts and 2x4's as rails, sitting on the snap pins which are about 3 inchs long. There are no spec's as to what the guard rail will hold, but I'd guess there is some OSHA guild lines...
Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites, Midnite E-panel, Prosine 1800 and Exeltech 1100, ForkLift battery. Off grid for @13 of last 14 years. 1000 watts being added to current CC, @2700 watts to be added with an additional CC.
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I would not use the thin wall! Hope this helps
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I think grey PVC may be stronger, in some respects, than EMT.
I'm not trying to build scaffolding, I live near a nuke plant and have spoken to the fitters who build the massive multi story scaffolding from bare pipe and knuckles(?). I have scaffolding, just trying to figure out the strength of the guard rail I built.
I do think regular galvanized steel pipe would be plenty strong even with the drilled holes, to be a heavy load bearing structure, I'm sure I could hang on it. The only thing available is black pipe which would not fair well living outside.
It might surprise people that the braces for scaffolding have the same spec's as 3/4" conduit! ...but the max load is very minimal.
Only need larger diameter/thick wall piping if used in applications to resist bending.
If you put the railing under tension, then thin wall running/cable can be used.
If the railing would collapse from side loading, then thick wall pipe would be better.
-Bill "not a civil engineer" B.
2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 700 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.
-Bill
So it might be possible to create a solid steel pin that connects the 1.5" scaffolding to a 1.5" post? Or take what you have, set it a few feet above ground level and throw your weight at it. I expect that how much a railing flexes is important to maintaining balance.
FWIW, I did think about inserting some 3/4" conduit inside to stiffen, but once I got my hands on the 1" I found it pretty strong/heavy (and lining up multiple holes would be a pain). I know the risk/weakest point is the holes drilled and tearing out. If I replace them I'll do a test. Mostly it's not intended to be load bearing, which I think the same goal as the company made hand rail. I do like having the 2x4 rail, set my drill on it several times.
It's on the low end of the array, so I really don't need them.
Am a bit late to this, BUT, EMT IS EMT, IMC IS IMC, and RGD (Rigid) pipe IS RGD. EMT is not threaded, IMC and RGD pipe IS threaded, as supplied in 10' lengths:
http://www.falsonsupply.com/Catalog/123FS.pdf
FWIW, Vic
I think bamboo would really be hard to spec in a 50 service life...
http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
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http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
E-mail [email protected]
...though setting a drill on it will take some talent!